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June 2007

In April we were all worried that this was going to be the hottest, driest summer on record, whilst in May we’ve had all the April showers and the summer thunder storms rolled into one. The world has gone mad.

However, our birds don’t seem to mind the strange weather. In fact there are more babies around this year than ever – almost every corner of the Trust is resounding to the pitter patter of tiny talons, and Hilary's Bird of Prey Hospital has been turned into one big maternity ward. Big burly falconers-turned midwives have discovered their maternal instincts and are melting and cooing over tiny fluffy bundles. Gary Benton has written details about many of these new arrivals in his article this month for On The Park, while Michael Wallis concentrates on the babies in the hospital, along with details of other wild birds and captive stock that have been ‘in patients’ in the past month (mainly owls).

Seriously though, looking after the chicks is a big responsibility and many members of staff are involved in the daily process which involves monitoring temperatures in the incubators, feeding the chicks four times a day, cleaning and generally checking on their health. They are each weighed daily and their food is weighed too; it has to be exact to the last gram, ground in a pestle and mortar or cut to the right sizes for the individuals, and with the correct balance of different nutrients and bone in each feed. It’s a fiddly process.

This month we welcome a new permanent member of staff to the Trust. Falconer Gareth Tonen has joined the team and some of you may already have seen him around the grounds.

The new flying arena for our 3.30pm display, the Woodland Owls and Hawks, is proving itself now that the trees are in leaf and the birds and falconers are getting to grips with it. It will truly come into its own on hot summer days when visitors can enjoy relaxing under the dappled, cool canopy while watching some of our birds giving their best performances in and out of the trees and over the pond. If summer ever returns, that is!

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